LEICESTER star Ryan Douglas enjoyed a hugely successful Testimonial Meeting at the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park – and topped it off by winning the event!
There was an excellent turnout for the second attempt to stage the Australian’s special day, and this time thankfully the weather also played ball.
Douglas, who will have a key role for the Watling JCB Lions in the upcoming ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Grand Final against Ipswich, remained focused on his racing to top the qualifying scorechart, and he went on to win the Final.
He scored 13 points from his opening five rides, dropping points only in Heat 5 when he finished third to Rohan Tungate and Jason Doyle.
Douglas was joined directly in the Final by Tungate, who edged out Lions racer Sam Masters on countback.
The semi-final saw Doyle and Josh Pickering, who had both scored ten, progress at the expense of Masters and Tobiasz Musielak, with the Pole again showing good form at the Hydroscand Arena with 11 points.
Douglas made a fast start in the Final and was never headed, with Pickering and Doyle completing the rostrum finishers and Tungate was fourth.
The other two Leicester riders both narrowly missed out on the top six with Kyle Howarth scoring ten and Luke Becker eight.
Douglas said: “Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone who came along and showed their support today, it really does mean the world.
“To come away with the win in such a strong line-up is something I’ll never forget – it feels really special.
“A big thank you as well to the riders, supporters, sponsors and the committee team for making it all possible. I’m grateful beyond words.”
Douglas and the rest of the Lions team will now put full focus on the Grand Final, with the first leg against Ipswich taking place at the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park on Monday October 6 (7.30pm).
RYAN DOUGLAS TESTIMONIAL, Leicester
QUALIFYING SCORES: Ryan Douglas 13, Rohan Tungate 12, Sam Masters 12, Tobiasz Musielak 11, Jason Doyle 10, Josh Pickering 10, Kyle Howarth 10, Luke Becker 8, Kye Thomson 8, Niels-Kristian Iversen 7, Bartosz Smektala 7, Zach Cook 5, Scott Nicholls 2, Will Cairns 2, Leon Flint 2, Matias Nielsen 1.
SEMI-FINAL: Doyle, Pickering, Musielak, Masters (ret).
GRAND FINAL: Douglas, Pickering, Doyle, Tungate.
RYAN DOUGLAS TESTIMONIAL, Leicester
QUALIFYING SCORES: Ryan Douglas 13, Rohan Tungate 12, Sam Masters 12, Tobiasz Musielak 11, Jason Doyle 10, Josh Pickering 10, Kyle Howarth 10, Luke Becker 8, Kye Thomson 8, Niels-Kristian Iversen 7, Bartosz Smektala 7, Zach Cook 5, Scott Nicholls 2, Will Cairns 2, Leon Flint 2, Matias Nielsen 1.
SEMI-FINAL: Doyle, Pickering, Musielak, Masters (ret).
GRAND FINAL: Douglas, Pickering, Doyle, Tungate.
